UK Bike Skills – a lesson with Jedi

Had a 1-on-1 skills lesson with Tony Doyle (Jedi) earlier this week, here’s his extremely thorough blog about the day:

Jedi Blog about me

Shan’t say too much more about the actual day other than the man’s a genius! He quickly worked out the ways I learnt and tailored his approach to just capitalise on it. As it happens, I learn well in an auditory style, so while I practised, all he’d do is say the occasional word, which would have an immediate effect :-). My riding at the end of just 4 hrs of coaching was so radically different to when I started. Turns out I rather like dirt jumping :-D.

Anyhow, the proof of the pudding’s in the eating right? I was extremely curious about just what the effects of the day were on my “normal” rides. I’ve been to Cannock Chase a few times, so I figured that’d be a good place to measure any change. My fastest time there was 45:30 in the bone dry after I’d had a lot of practice (think a lot of that was due to brute force). Went there again yesterday. It’d been raining, so the trail was rather wet and slippery. Wasn’t feeling on top form either. All I actually remember about the ride was regularly making sure that my looking skills were working and that my feet were being sensible. Despite the conditions (coupled with me being a little cautious and easing off when going though big puddles), I still managed 46 mins. In the past, my fastest time in those sorts of conditions was about 50 mins, so Jedi’s lesson had an astonishing effect! It was just a lot less effort too, as I was able to use the trail’s energy a lot more than before. As I said at the start, the man’s a genius!

Z

So basically you were a shit rider before he told you to look well ahead and scan the trail, how to corner properly, and how do ride off a big curb (all of which you can learn for free off the internet)

Money well spent there.

Pretty much, but as I’d only started to ride in Feb this year, I’m not as fussed about “saving” his lesson fee – a bit of learning at the start should make it a lot harder for bad habits to form.

(all of which you can learn for free off the internet)

really? how this? do you set up a webcam with the instructor or something?

was about to post ‘cue the naysayers’….. 😆
whatever you think of money spent on coaching, my experience is its many times more valuable than money spent on kit to ‘improve’ your riding/enjoyment of MTB

flow – is it nice and cosy in your comfort zone there?

So basically you were a shit rider before he told you to look well ahead and scan the trail, how to corner properly, and how do ride off a big curb (all of which you can learn for free off the internet)

Say what you will but if I had only been riding a short while I wouldn’t have fancied doing many of the things down the skills trail especially that last drop off into the berm. Tony has a great way of making you feel at ease with riding and moving where you thought your comfort zone was 🙂

I learned to do halfpipe tricks on my snowboard from videos on youtube. Well, I say “learned”; I’m shit.

Still, it beats paying for lessons that would only serve to give me a good grounding in the principles and a solid skills base from which to progress.

🙄

I agree with you Tom he’s very good

I agree with you Tom he’s very good

(Mr MC posting)

been riding MTBs 18yrs. Not arrogant enough to think I have nothing to learn. Had an outstanding day with Tony, fixed some bad habits, polished up some good ones and fine tuned some fundamentals. Came away a better rider and full of enthusiasm to ride, and to ride well, as did the friends I did the course with.

You can learn to bunny hop with flat pedals from the internet. ‘Cept you’d be doing it wrong; I’m pretty sure the likes of Danny McCaskill dont scoop their pedals up with their feet…

Flow, do you have to trackstand to stay on that pedestal?

So basically you were a shit rider before he told you to look well ahead and scan the trail, how to corner properly, and how do ride off a big curb (all of which you can learn for free off the internet)

Money well spent there.

Could you be more unpleasant please? This forum thrives because of remarks like that.

46 minutes?

To be fair, some of those downhill tracks at Stile cop are a bit bumpy.

Jedi is rad, I’m glad you are enjoying your riding more now. Happy days.

Ive tried learning from the internet, youtube and even bought a book on skills – all made bugger all difference. One day with Jedi made a world of difference.

His teaching was tailored to my ability, (or lack of) his video replays and comments all helped. You wont get that from a book or from the internet.

Didn’t do Stile Cop – the 46 mins was FTD.

buzz-lightyear – Member
So basically you were a shit rider before he told you to look well ahead and scan the trail, how to corner properly, and how do ride off a big curb (all of which you can learn for free off the internet)
Money well spent there.

Could you be more unpleasant please? This forum thrives because of remarks like that.

+1

How strange that if you buy a £600 set of golf clubs and take a few lessons with the club pro no-one would think it a waste of money yet if you spend the thick end of £4k on a bike people scoff when you have 1 days training with a bike pro? I had the same attitude as ‘flow’ off a few when I spent some cash to spend a few hours with Scott Beaumont but the increase in confidence in my own ability more than justified it to me, and besides if want to spend the money I earn on lessons then so what?

Unless Flow is that good he earns a living riding ( though even the worlds best pay for coaching) then it sounds like sour grapes to me.

I would consider Tony as a friend, and I have never paid him to advise me, but just riding with him is enough to make you want to learn.
The way he handles and rides a bike, without making you feel bad, makes you want to be a better rider. I remember well some of the rides when some flash fecker upstart would **** off up a hill & then just be lazy on the downs to re cooperate, jedi can rip them to bits without trying, but he doesn’t because he always rides within the group he is with, no bravado, he just rides his bike.

That said I have had my biggest ‘off’s’ whilst under his spell, they were all worth it for the buzz though, MTB & BMX alike, his enthusiasm knows no bounds.

Cheers Tony!

I’m hoping to give this lark a bash… does anyone know a skills course up North – Tyne & Wear?

Nice on Zack & Jedi 😉

Down with the haters sitting in armchairs.

I would and am looking forward to booking a lesson with TD…….

But come on let’s not get over excited!!!

1 days training with a bike pro

Hardly a pro though is he

Mmmm? Let me think about that?…

pro·fes·sion·al

adjective?/pr??feSH?nl/?

(of a person) Engaged in a specified activity as one’s main paid occupation rather than as a pastime

flow why don’t you naff off? If you’d been on a course with jedi and had something to say about the experience be it good or bad then you might be interesting, otherwise go and find somewhere else to spread your manure. You are just on the way to making yourself someone who is universally reviled.

Some people can learn through reading, some people are kinaesthetic learners and benefit from on the bike tuition. Horse for course innit.

robsoctane – Member
I’m hoping to give this lark a bash… does anyone know a skills course up North – Tyne & Wear?

Hamsterley maybe.

@Captjon: Thanks mate, will search that now. 😀

@Flow: stop trollin.

i would love to go on one of his courses (when funds allow)as i need all the help i can get with bike handling 🙂

kinaesthetic learning = learning by doing (essentially).

Are you sure it doesnt mean “looks good whilst doing”.. 😀

Capt Jon I learn well by reading and studying but a lot of what you read around bike skills is just so much horse sh1t, such as the pedal scooping I mentioned earlier.
Love the idea tony isn’t a pro. Flimsy grasp of the language there. And flow if you mean pro racer guess what a lot of them pay the likes of tony and rich @cycleactive for skills coaching. The worlds best sportsmen and women can learn from coaching, only the closed of mind can’t.

.

Tony’s course has improved my jumping by quite alot but my cross country riding has also improved with keeping my head up a little more than I used too. Alpes in 3 weeks, so can’t wait ! Thanks Tony. 8)

ltheisinger

He is not a pro, if his name was Steve Peat, or Gee Atherton then he would be a pro, dumbass.

And I’m not trolling. Buy this book and read it. It will teach you everything you need to know, and some. You also get to keep it for ever, and read it as many times as you want, all for a fraction over a tenner!

As an added bonus, its written by a professional cyclist!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mastering-Mountain-Skills-Brian-Lopes/dp/0736083715

I read that book, it took jedi 10 mins to teach me more than that book ever has, does a good job of levelling out me table though

The only dumbass is the person who doesn’t understand what the word pro means even after having a dictionary definition posted 🙄

Flow = Cock

I would rather someone watch me and point out what i’m doing wrong, rather than read it, get a small bit wrong and cock up.

Also a quick browse through flow’s post history – he/she loves calling people dumbass and acting as condescending as possible to them.

zach, thank you for your kind words and was awesome to hear of your riding improvments.
🙂

The stuff spouted by flow is exactly why many people are put off giving mountain biking a go and also why STW is seen as a place where cocks hang out.

I don’t know Tony other than by reputation & his posts, but his enthusiasm & ability to encourage others to progress their riding is something we should all be happy about.
Why some feel the need to make snide remarks about his coaching is beyond me?
If Tony was on here bigging himself up then I could see why people might have a beef but from what I can see he is a very modest man trying to earn a living as a professional coach.

I agree MrOvershoot

In fact, if I were fitter I would consider doing a skills course (alas, as it is, I doubt I would get the most benefit!)

The stuff spouted by flow is exactly why many people are put off giving mountain biking a go and also why STW is seen as a place where cocks hang out.

Have you read any of his other posts on other threads?

Seems he only comes on here to purposefully wind people up, but not even in a “trolling” manner, he actually gets really angry and angers other people too!

Don’t need to add any more about Jedi’s ability as a coach, other than to say he really knows what he’s doing. The theory, putting it into practice, and being able to teach it in a way that anybody will reap the benefits. As an experienced Trainer/Coach (not cycling sadly) I know that what your audience takes in is 80-90% how well it is put across to them in a way they can understand, and it’s only 10-20% content and theory. So a good coach is worth their weight in gold!

Now, just imagine a solid gold Jedi… Would look remarkably like one of those Buddha stautuettes I reckon! 😉